Visitors endure opening day blues as Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli plunder centuries in Hyderabad Test
India's Murali Vijay (left) and Virat Kohli celebrate after reaching their respective centuries on Day One of the one-off Test against Bangladesh in Hyderabad yesterday. Pic/AFP
Hyderabad: Bangladesh waited 17 years to play a Test in India, but they failed to make Day One of the historic game memorable. India opener Murali Vijay (108) and skipper Virat Kohli's (111 not out) destroyed their bowling as the hosts ended the day at 356 for three at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal yesterday.
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While the dominance of Vijay and Kohli was evident, both batsmen were different in attitude and approach.
Vijay, who enjoyed a life on 35, was in no hurry and waited for the loose balls to earn his boundaries, but Kohli just hammered the Bangladeshi bowlers to over the park.
Probably, the reprieve in off-spinner Mehedi Hasan's 19th over played on Vijay's mind. He played one off his pad and Pujara rushed to his end for a single, but the striker went back after taking a few forward steps. However, when he saw Pujara almost reaching his crease, Vijay sprinted towards the non striker's end. Luckily for the Tamil Nadu batsman, Mehedi failed to collect a quick throw from short leg fielder Kamrul Islam Rabbi. Vijay concentrated hard after that to stay unbeaten on 45 at the luncheon interval. He was unbeaten (98) at the interval as well.
Vijay reached his second ton at Hyderabad when he guided pacer Rabbi's short pitched delivery between covers and point for two runs. It was his second against Bangladesh as well, However, after adding just eight runs to his 100, he provided left-arm spinner Taijul Islam a full view of the middle and leg stumps while playing a sweep shot and was bowled.
Vijay hit 12 fours and a six during his 160-ball, 265- minute stay at the crease. Vijay and Pujara, who got a few boundaries through edges, settled in well to stitch a 178-run stand for the second wicket. The Saurashtra batsman, who fell short of 17 runs to register his 11th Test ton, had nine hits to the fence during his three and a half hour-stint at the crease.
Vijay appreciated Pujara's support. "We share a good rapport and that makes things easy. It's an honour to move along with him and pick his brains. We're totally different characters in the dressing room because we don't think the same way, but out in the middle, we enjoy each other's company and success," he said.
Unlike Vijay, Kohli, who was unbeaten on 17 off 24 balls at the tea break, was in attacking mood right from the start. He took charge in the very first over after the break to despatch Kamrul Rabbi twice to the ropes through cover and point.
The Indian skipper's first 50 came off just 70 balls. Kohli reached his three-figure mark with a boundary to long-on off Mehedi Hasan. Kohli took a little more than a session to complete his 16th Test century and his first against Bangladesh.
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